Gold Forest Chan Meditation Center

04/17/2026

Master YongHua's Teaching from The Avatamsaka Sutra - Chapter 01 (20250608)

"If you think you’re better than others, then you have no virtue. A truly noble person NEVER thinks she’s better than anyone.
My teacher used to say: 'I’m just an ant. Everyone is above me. Everyone is better than me.' That’s how he genuinely saw himself — and that came from great wisdom.
The moment you see yourself as special or superior, you’ve already peaked. It’s only when you see that you’re not as good as others — and that you still have room to grow — that real cultivation continues. If you’re truly invincible, you become humble. If you still think you’re special, you’re not there yet."
-Master YongHua

▶️ Watch the full teaching here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbBEigvKxaI&list=PL0HTAkAoG7h955344zrOJ9TcG9eteExjS

04/10/2026

Medicine Master Buddha Repentence is happening this Sunday, April 12 🌸

Whether you’ve joined us many times or this is your very first visit, we’d love to have you with us! It’s an all-day practice, and while it definitely tests our physical endurance, the mental clarity we feel afterward is always worth it. Hope to see you there!

04/09/2026

We hire a new intern for our photography department.
This is him and his work 📷

04/07/2026

WHAT IS HAPPINESS?

So what's happiness? Happiness is found in everyday life. It’s not about doing what you want. It’s about...about enjoying every moment in life — whether you do nothing, whether you go to work, whether you have a fight, whether you listen to music. Okay. Happiness is right then. It’s not always what you want. You find happiness because of wisdom. It’s not about what you want. That’s the wrong premise for people like you who are educated and are taught and are...are conditioned to weigh options and seek the best advantages. Okay. This is why with that model, you’re never happy. And you only are killing yourself chasing and hoarding things. Whereas happiness can be truly found in daily life. Okay. Because...How? Because of your commitment to the people around you.

You go to work — it’s a commitment to deliver for your boss and meet expectations.

You have a boyfriend or girlfriend — it's when you spend time with him or her, it’s a commitment to deliver, to meet expectations. Okay.

It’s not by shrinking. It’s not about being in control of your destiny. Happiness doesn’t mean you have to be in control. Happiness sometimes means you can be driven by a slave driver. That requires skills and wisdom.

- Master YongHua

▶️ Watch the full teaching here: https://www.youtube.com/live/ZAUWQE4rlWs?t=2276s

04/03/2026

Once a month, we gather to recite Great Compassion Repentance. Our faults are endless but through Guan Yin’s Compassion, we have a chance to repent and reform.

04/02/2026

We all love Master’s jokes during lectures. The Assembly always feels extra warm when He visits.

03/27/2026

Lunch is better when there’s good food and great company 😊

03/26/2026

THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF BODHI LIGHT INTERNATIONAL

Freezing to death, we do not scheme.
Starving to death, we do not beg.
Dying of poverty, we do not seek.
According with Conditions but do not change. Do not change yet embrace Conditions.
The Three Great Principles form foundations to our work.
We renounce our lives to do Buddha's work.
We mold our lives to do Fundamental work.
We observe the proper livelihood to do Sanghan's work.
Encountering Phenomenon, we awaken to Principles.
Awakened to Principles, we apply them to Phenomena.
We carry on the Mind-Transmission of the Patriarch's Lineage.
Ask yourself: Do I not harm?
Ask yourself: Am I not greedy?
Ask yourself: Do I not seek?
Ask yourself: Am I not selfish?
Ask yourself: Am I not self-indulgent?
Ask yourself: Do I not lie?
Ask yourself: Do I practice the Four Unlimited Minds?
Ask yourself: Do I eat one meal a day?
Ask yourself: Do I always wear my Precept-sash?
This is the tradition passed down from our Patriarchs.
We will abide by it.

03/25/2026

YOU SUFFER BECAUSE OF THE EGO

Your suffering is because you're a victim of your own ego. Ordinary people never believe that the ego is truly the source of their suffering. They always blame someone else. It doesn't matter where you run away to or what you do - your ego follows you.

-Master YongHua

▶️ Watch the full teaching here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ul-ad58aKg

03/25/2026

03/20/2026

Come for the peace and stay for the food!

We always leave the Temple with a full stomach 😊